Incidents Involving High Pressure Pipelines

Gas companies reported 35 explosions and 32 ignitions at their transmission pipelines since 2010, according to federal records. During that same time period, 17 people died and 86 were injured in incidents involving the pipelines, including a September 2010 explosion in San Bruno, Calif., that killed eight and injured 51. In all, gas companies estimate incidents involving transmission pipelines have caused nearly $1 billion in damage since 2010. –Westmoreland Trib 2016

If you read and watch stories below, you will notice that that the transmission line explosions in the US occur in rural areas. That is because transmission lines usually do not get built in densely populated areas.

Sometimes because of urban sprawl a densely populated area expands to encompass a natural gas transmission line. This was the case in San Bruno, CA. Since San Bruno, regulations have been developed to set up safety precautions for new development around existing high-pressure pipelines. However, there are no safety regulations for building new pipelines in already developed areas.

Wikipedia also keeps a list of US pipeline explosions listing many additional incidents and 41 fatalities, 195 injuries, and $448,900,333 in property damage from transmission lines like the ones Duke Energy has proposed between 1994-2013.

Duke seems to have a corporate culture that sees issues from their own point of view. This can translate to a lack of understanding and empathy of the very people they are supposed to be serving. Note this recent safety issue in Carmel, Indiana. … https://t.co/nxemSedXjI

If you live or work near Conrey and School Rd, near Stewart Elementary School, be aware that Duke is doing pipeline inspection work in the area. (This is the location where the Central Corridor Pipeline would connect to the WW feeder station.)